Girl Geek Dinners is a global initiative started in 2010 in the UK. The objective was to bring groups of women together to talk, network, and learn over dinner. There are chapters all over the world and each runs differently based on the needs of the community.

The Kitchener-Waterloo chapter has been around since 2012 and has grown to 1200 local members! This growth can be attributed to the extremely hard work of community volunteers and company sponsors, and living in a city with a large concentration of tech -based companies and schools.

The Girl Geeks model is successful because of it’s flexibility; Speakers, topics, location, and food can vary each month. In the last two years there have been events ranging from “The Science of Cheese”, to “Localizing Software”, to “How to be assertive in the workplace”. They have been hosted in museums, restaurants, and company common areas. The day of the week changes each month based on events already happening.

The events now sell out in just a few short days. Is there a secret to keeping this community group successful and impactful?

1. Gather feedback often, and act on it.

This group is by the community, for the community. It doesn’t exist to make money. It exists because the volunteer team passionately believes in creating a safe and fun networking space for women. Feedback is gathered through several channels including Slack groups, private chats, in-person questions, annual surveys, and email.

A few examples of actionable feedback that has been received (edited for brevity)

Why does Girl Geeks not run events on the weekends for mothers or those who may not be able to attend during the week?

Can it be clearly stated when a talk is technical or not and at what level.

I cannot find a sitter, can my child come to this event with me?

I feel like there have been too many panels and not enough technical talks and workshops.

I didn’t like the food from last event.

2. Accommodate everyone.

Every event must be accessible for those with mobility challenges – or clearly state the restrictions. This includes looking for stairs and steps, making sure washrooms are available and near, and that there is appropriate seating.

Every event must have good food for everyone. Ask your guests what their dietary restrictions are and work with your local caterers. Ask for the ingredients to be listed on all containers. Common things to simply avoid ordering are meals that contain nuts/seeds and/or pork, and to make sure there are gluten-free, lactose-free, and vegan options for your guests. If you have alcohol, also have a non-alcoholic option and have someone with a smart-serve serving to make sure your guests don’t drink to excess.

Every event must have room for everyone. Don’t oversell your event space. It’s better to turn people away than have too many guests.

3. Say thank you.

Thank you! To the volunteers, the speakers, the community, the sponsors, the caterer, the organizers, and the city you live in. Take the time to send messages, notes, and small thank you gifts of appreciation. If you’re known as someone who is great to work with, you will attract amazing opportunities.

Network with other community organizers and support their events. Remember that you’re not in a competition, you’re here to improve and support your local community.

Python

PHP

Javascript

]]>https://samcampbell.blog/2018/11/13/the-web-development-podcasts-list/feed/0freestocks-org-570354-unsplashsamcampbell134How to stop feeling like a beginner – My favourite talk at PyCon 2018https://samcampbell.blog/2018/11/13/how-to-stop-feeling-like-a-beginner-my-favourite-talk-at-pycon-2018/
https://samcampbell.blog/2018/11/13/how-to-stop-feeling-like-a-beginner-my-favourite-talk-at-pycon-2018/#respondTue, 13 Nov 2018 16:14:01 +0000http://samcampbell.blog/?p=436Continue reading How to stop feeling like a beginner – My favourite talk at PyCon 2018]]>I was fortunate to be able to attend PyCon 2018 with the Bungalow engineering team in November.

This two day conference had a variety of talks and streams appropriate for both beginners and experts. The topics ranged from the state of quantum computing in Python to how to properly write conditional statements. It was also an excellent opportunity to network with the larger Python community.

My favourite talk happened to be one of the non-technical, shorter talks. Perhaps because it touched on something I personally struggle with.

The journey from mediocrity: how to stop feeling like a beginner

Victoria Mothersill gave a non-technical talk on dealing with imposter syndrome and there were more than a few really strong takeaways:

You will always be able to find something you suck at if you look hard enough.

Having a growth mindset will only help you. Instead of saying “I am good”, say “I did good”.

Hang out with other smart people.

Embrace being wrong.

Take the time to automate the little tasks. You know what they are!

Document. Comment. Test.

Remember coding is all about communication.

Take the time to format your code before you PR it to avoid comments that are just format related.

And my personal favourite, and new mantra…

Don’t try to be a good programmer, try to be a better programmer.

]]>https://samcampbell.blog/2018/11/13/how-to-stop-feeling-like-a-beginner-my-favourite-talk-at-pycon-2018/feed/0IMG_20181111_145402485samcampbell134It happened yesterday… What language do you use in meetings?https://samcampbell.blog/2017/09/12/what-language-do-you-use-in-meetings/
https://samcampbell.blog/2017/09/12/what-language-do-you-use-in-meetings/#respondTue, 12 Sep 2017 15:26:30 +0000http://samcampbell.blog/?p=420Continue reading It happened yesterday… What language do you use in meetings?]]>My soul hurts a little today. I had a meeting with 8 women, and something happened.

Actually, nothing happened. No one started the meeting. We sat in silence and stared for a full minute before I was like … “so…”

(internal anxiety: wait was I supposed to start the meeting **blank stare**)Every time someone had something they wanted to add to the conversation they would qualify their statements:

“I don’t know if this could add to the conversation, but <insert awesome and valid idea here>”“I don’t know a lot about this topic, but I was thinking <insert new and interesting perspective here>”

The first time I was asked this question I was completely embarrassed, because I had no idea. I berated myself – “Was I not paying attention? Who are the women worth idolizing? Do they not exist? Why can I only think of cartoon characters?”

This was before Sheryl Sandberg was telling us to “Lean In”. Before I knew of Marissa Mayer, Arianna Huffington, or even Amy Schumer…

I started tracking a list of names of women I would hear about in the back of my planner, along with their titles/accomplishments. Proactively searching for sites and communities that focused on the accomplishments of women.

Don’t mind the understatement – We have a few problems:

You will only ever hear about a subset of women in the media.

In this moment, I can’t think of a single inspirational woman I was taught about in school. Who is Amelia Earhart, anyone? Did I hear of her on the TV?

I can think of two easy ways to combat this. The first, is a list below of women who inspire me. It is by no means definitive, exhaustive, or in any particular order.

The second, is a challenge. Take some time, create your own list, and share the hell out of it. #WomenWhoInspireMeChallenge #WITBragDay

You may not agree with this list, and that’s okay. Make your own list of Women Who Inspire You!

Reshma Saujani

Lawyer / Politician / Founder of Girls Who Code

In 2010, Reshma was the first Indian American woman to run for US Congress. In 2012, she founded Girls Who Code – a non-profit looking to close the gender gap in technology. Her TED talk “Teach girls bravery, not perfection” inspired my own personal affirmation. Let’s live every day being brave instead of worrying about being perfect.

Peggy Whitson

NASA Astronaut

In 2008 Peggy became the first woman to command the international space station. She has the standing record for cumulative time spent in space by an astronaut and the most amount of spacewalks by a female astronaut. Celebrating her 57th birthday in space, she became the oldest women in space. Follow her on twitter.

Shingai Manjengwa

Founder of Fireside Analytics

A footnote in an article led me to this amazing woman. Having over a decade of data analytics experience, Shingai is the founder and director of Fireside Analytics. She developed Canada’s first accredited data science curriculum for high school students and is a course developer for IBM’s Big Data University. Born and raised in Harare, Zimbabwe, she is now based out of Toronto, Canada. Follow her on twitter.

Ashley Ambirge

CEO of The Middle Finger Project

This woman delivers sassy, radically-candid advice to my email on the regular. On days when I have no idea what I’m doing or why I can pop open her blog, book, or a random email and a few more things seem possible.

Katie Telford

Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

The “Woman of Canadian Politics” is still largely unknown – probably on purpose. She is largely responsible for the push for gender equality in Canadian politics. She is also a key influencer with strong opinions on diversity, aboriginal issues, and climate change.

J.K. Rowling

British Novelist

By the summer of 2000 the first three Harry Potter books had sold over 35 million copies and were being printed in 35 different languages. Written by an unemployed, single mother living on the British benefits system, this fact could be enough to put her on my list of awesome women. J.K. Rowling decided to overachieve with her philanthropic work. It’s estimated that she has donated over $160 Million (USD) to charities, and she advocates for causes regularly on social media.

Tina Fey

I binged watched 30 Rock on Shomi one summer (Shomi was a streaming platform… like Netflix. Moving on.). Strange that would be the show that introduced me to Tina, but that’s how it happened. She’s IMHO a superhuman. She could be from Heroes before it got weird. I could write an entire blog post about my lady crush on her, so I’ll just say read her book. I’ll lend it to you.

Nyakim Gatwech

Sudanese Model

Nyakim is a self-love queen! She speaks very openly about being bullied and uses her social platforms to spread messages of self-love and acceptance. Her sense of humour is as stunning as her photographs, and she has one of my favorite Instagram accounts.

Ryann Maegen Hoven (Tess Holliday)

American Model

In 2013 Tess Holliday started her #EffYourBeautyStandards movement on Instagram. She believes in the word ‘fat’ and thinks anyone should be able to eat what they want without facing social ostracism. In 2015 she became the first model of her height and size to be hired by a top modelling agency.

So tell me…

Who are the women who inspire you?

You may not agree with this list, and that’s okay. Make your own list of Women Who Inspire You!

]]>https://samcampbell.blog/2017/08/14/women-who-inspire-me/feed/056Hsamcampbell134reshmapeggywhitsonshingaiashambirgekatietelfordrowlingLate Night with Jimmy Fallon - Season 5nyakimtessholliday15 things to do on your next Kitchener, Ontario summer vacationhttps://samcampbell.blog/2017/07/05/15-things-to-do-on-your-next-kitchener-ontario-summer-vacation/
https://samcampbell.blog/2017/07/05/15-things-to-do-on-your-next-kitchener-ontario-summer-vacation/#commentsWed, 05 Jul 2017 19:12:20 +0000http://samcampbell.blog/?p=87Continue reading 15 things to do on your next Kitchener, Ontario summer vacation]]>I’ve lived in Kitchener, Ontario for 26 1/4 of my 27 years, and one would think I would take my vacation literally anywhere else. . .

Whether it be cost, or timing, or simply wanting to keep it simple, there is nothing like a #staycation. My best friend and I decided to do it right and visit a mix of places we wouldn’t normally adventure including some KW classics.

Hiking

Elora Gorge

We were lucky to go on a day that wasn’t busy. The park was nearly empty! We hiked 5KM and enjoyed a packed lunch in the woods. I may have fed some of my cauliflower to a particularly adorable chipmunk. The park also offers camping and tubing. Elora Gorge

Huron Natural Area

You may remember this as the place you went in elementary school to learn about birds. There is a little over 5KM of trails through a mixture of wooded and open areas. We were easily able to avoid the field trip groups and spent a great morning hiking. Huron Natural Area

Victoria Park

We visited here a few times during the week for events, but it is worth a mention all on its own. Located right downtown Kitchener, steps from the bus terminal, is my favorite lunch spot. The park is large enough to take a decent length stroll through, and in recent years the playground and splash pad have been updated. Victoria Park

Theater

The Apollo Cinema

The Apollo is always showing something quirky. This time it was retro cartoons and Public Service Announcements (PSA’s) from the 60’s to the 80’s with an all-you-can-eat cereal bar. I controlled myself by having a modest 6 bowls of cereal while enjoying such Canadian gems as “Don’t You Put It In Your Mouth”. This spacious theater has a section with tables and a nostalgic feel. Before or after your show you are right downtown Kitchener and set up to continue your adventure. The Apollo

Wonder Woman at Cineplex VIP

When they say VIP they mean it. In seat service, reclining chairs, tables, so much space, and a 19+ atmosphere is enough to make anyone feel spoiled. We were a bit early, which allowed us to take advantage of an empty arcade before enjoying our drinks and a really excellent movie. Cineplex

CTRL-V Virtual Reality Arcade

Ever wanted to try virtual reality? CTRL-V Waterloo is the flagship VR arcade location. We explored a nightmare-inducing haunted house, went deep-sea diving, experienced an office simulator (on vacation from our office jobs…), caught basketballs, and shot lasers. It was almost overwhelming, but the amazing staff were more than attentive. The available games category is extensive and you’ll want to book multiple sessions. Book online CTRL-V

Festivals

KW Multicultural Festival #KWMF2017

Festival season is my favorite season. Multicultural fest is one of the many food and vendor festivals over the summer. We enjoyed live music while sitting under the clock tower and eating. KWMC

Canada Day 150 at Columbia Lake

Every year on Canada Day there are fireworks at Columbia lake and the University of Waterloo more than outdid themselves for the 150 celebration. It had all the characteristics of a true outdoor celebration – endless food lines, hoards of families, a concert you could totally hear-ish, and a certain lawlessness that comes with events of this scale (think people using the middle of roundabouts as parking #CanadiansGoneWild). University of Waterloo

Food

Rawlicious in Belmont Village

As a vegetarian I’ve had no trouble finding great food locally. Gluten-free, raw, vegan soft tacos? Yes, please! Move over chain restaurants of KW because, despite being unfortunately named, these are the single greatest tacos I have ever eaten. I even went back and got them as take-out later in the week. Rawlicious

Gilt Restaurant in Downtown Kitchener

A more upscale option right downtown Kitchener. Gilt is a newer restaurant, but is already a local favorite with a large patio. Vegetarian friendly, make reservations. Gilt Restaurant

Arts

Paint Nite @Crossroads Board Game Cafe

The 20th anniversary of Harry Potter happened to be the same day. So we clinked our butterbeer and attempted the first painting we’ve done since high-school. I would recommend Crossroads for their selection of nerdy drinks and fantastic grilled cheese. I would recommend Paint Nite for making it look like I have some artistic ability, however small. Paint NiteCrossroads Cafe

Legally Blonde at KW Little Theater

Not the first, nor the last play I will see here. It’s a neat, cozy space. Try not to freak out the actors when you inevitably lock eyes. KWLT

Shopping

Used Bookstores – A Second Look and KW Bookstore

Another time in history, downtown Kitchener was flooded with thrift stores. Only a few have survived the food infestation but they are well worth the visit. Also pictured is my “currently reading” pile. I was determined to make a healthy dent in it over vacation. I didn’t. A Second LookKW Bookstore

Open Sesame at Kitchener City Hall

A bookstore, art store, gallery, and performance space, Open Sesame is a favorite. Make a point to stop in and see the newest exhibit, or see a show. Grab some local zines and browse the collection of housewares and art books. Open Sesame

The Boardwalk

“It’s by a dump!?” – all of Yelp.

A place to avoid on particularly hot and muggy days, and a wonderful way to spend a few rainy hours, this strip has everything. Food, shopping, a movie theater, and some really distracting roundabout art. The Boardwalk

Honorable Mention

Horseback Riding at The Ranch in Oakville

Bucket list! I had never ridden a horse up until this point. As a special birthday surprise we went to the Ranch in Oakville for a one hour trail ride. I don’t think anyone has ever looked cooler on horseback. The Ranch

This is in no way a definitive list of all the #KWAWESOME adventures you could potentially have. Did we miss one of your favorites? Tweet or comment!

The transcript of a talk I did for International Women’s Day 2017 #BeBoldForChange

100% of what holds me back is fear based. I’m a worrier, and for a long time I let that fact define me.

Today I’m going to speak about the local women’s networking group and dinner series I’ve helped co-ordinate for the past 2 seasons and have taken over for the 2017 season. Girl Geeks is a global organization, and in 2010 the local KW chapter was started. Each month we bring together technically inclined women for a dinner and a talk. We partner with local technology companies as much as possible, to tour their spaces and provide networking opportunities. You can connect with us on Twitter and Meetup.

More importantly today, I want to talk about WHY Girl Geeks exists and a few of my own personal experiences being a woman in technology.

I remember my first time at a women’s networking group. I had heard about this one from a co-op student at Blackberry. It was at the Rum Runner Pub which was a bar under the Walper Hotel on King St. Meetup was not around yet, and this was the only women’s networking group in the region that I knew of. In the back room beside the pool tables a group of about 40 professional women stood around tables and appetizers. Some looked angry, some looked sad, some – like me – looked a little lost. I took a seat to the side, wallflower style and waited for the talk to start. I didn’t say a single word that entire meeting. My social anxiety was bad at that point, especially in new situations, but I listened…

These women were facing both casual and blatant sexism. The talks were what you’d expect with messages of empowerment and coping strategies and the networking usually involved at least one woman breaking into tears. Because at this point we weren’t talking about educating and changing the world – we were talking about how to get through the next work day.

Eventually these women became my mentors and sponsors and the people I turned to. When I decided to end my co-op term with BlackBerry early, they connected me with my first startup. I became the lead developer of a technology startup that was making hiring software. I loved it in the beginning, but I could always tell it was hard for people to take me seriously. I had so much going against me in their minds. I was young – at that point 22. I hadn’t graduated yet. I was a woman somewhere I didn’t belong, and in a role I didn’t deserve. It was a huge contributor to the stress that made me leave. I didn’t have the confidence to realize that what these people (both men and women) were, was disrespectful and uninformed, rather than commenting on any true reflection of my skills and qualifications.

It was gender and age bias. Unfortunately, this kind of bias, unconscious or not, starts before going out into the workforce.

The only other female student in my class was once asked by a visiting company if she was “the princess of the classroom”. I was once told that I should do a documentation project on “washing dishes” because it should be a specialty of mine. It’s this kind of casual sexism I’ve found more than anything in my life to be most harmful. It can be hidden in a joke and if you are offended then you are seen as ruining the fun, not perpetuating a harmful stereotype that leads to inequality.

I was a mess and a half in my final year of college. I still hadn’t figured out what I wanted to do and was having so much trouble deciding where my time should be spent. I was working full time for the school on a research project, taking four classes, and didn’t have any social life beyond work events and the odd volunteering project. I had also tried to start back up a women in tech group at the college which had few members but took a lot of my time. I felt like I needed to say yes to every opportunity to “prove myself”. And I was exhausted. I sent an email to a woman who I had met a few times and felt was living the life I wanted. She was a successful developer, lead a local user group, was active in the community and seemed really happy. She told me I should really only be doing three things: 1 thing for money, 1 thing for the community, and 1 thing for myself. The rest I had to let go in terms of projects, as I was quickly running myself into the ground.

What that really meant for me was giving myself permission to drop a few courses and graduate later. Who cares if it takes you two years instead of one to finish your diploma? I promise the piece of paper means the same. Permission again to leave an insanely high stress job and go do something that required less of my soul while I got my life together. And to still give back, because that is what motivates me and brings value into my life. We also talked a lot about Walking Dead… because priorities.

I met one of my good friends at a Girl Geeks meeting. I hadn’t been to a dinner in a while. This one was a partnership with Fluxible and was hosted at The Accelerator Center in Waterloo. The speaker was awesome, the food was great, but it was the organizer that I remember that night. She was fierce, and I just remember being blown away by her presence and confidence. Honestly, the embodiment of “do no harm, but take no shit”. If I could give some middle-of-the-story advice it would be to bring the people that inspire you into your life wherever you can. I emailed her after and asked her what I could do to be a part of Girl Geeks. They just happened to need a new website. I obliged. We like to joke now that we saw each other and just decided in that moment to be good friends. Two years later and I don’t let her live down that we run a geek club and she has never seen a single Star Wars movie.

We had a mission. The committee at Girl Geeks consisted of 5 women that year and we nicknamed ourselves the crusade. Our goal more than anything was to increase the female presence at events in the tech community, and at the same time work to build the network that would allow Girl Geeks to become successful.

So why is this all important, and why tell you now? Each of these women came into my life through a networking opportunity, which started with me literally being brave enough to show up somewhere. They may not know the impact they had, but I remember each of them.

I want to live by constantly learning, and watching, and giving back where I can. Because I want to pay forward , the help that amazing women have given me. I want to provide a safe space to do so, see some of the region’s coolest tech spaces, eat some overpriced, delicious food, and talk about Batman and algorithm efficiency – if possible in the same sentence. And we are fortunate to be part of building a community that more than welcomes that.

Girl Geeks when I started averaged about 10 – 20 women monthly. Now depending on the event space we can easily pack a room with 30 – 60 women. We’ve built a community of over 550 women in the region – largely because of the reach moving to Meetup has given us, and because of the passion the technology community here has.

We have a clear mission:

We collaborate with local technology and catering businesses for food and space.

We inspire through providing networking opportunities with a focus on women and increasing the female presence at technology events.

We build relationships with other organizations, and contribute to enriching and improving our community.

I realized that as I get older I am a product of my experiences, and the experiences of those around me. I’ve been so fortunate to have been influenced by some extraordinary women in our community; to know that small, kind, interactions have the biggest impact, and most importantly that 100% of whatever is holding you all back is fear based.

On that note, I would like to turn the conversation over to you. Is there something holding you back?

Take baby steps to overcome that fear. The first step for me was that one socially awkward wallflower moment which helped scrape a little fear away.

Speaking for International Women’s Day 2017 at D2L #BeBoldForChange #IWD2017